Santigold – 99¢ (Atlantic, 2016)
On 99¢, Santigold presents listeners with bouncy beats coupled with lyrics prime for singing along to, but she builds these from an eclectic mix of styles and themes. Her lyrics detail the story of a pop star who is fighting to be original not only with her music but also in how she lives her life and interacts with pop culture. Santigold draws from a variety of genres, including the ska punk sounds of “Chasing Shadows,” the stuttered ‘90s synth vibes of “Rendezvous Girl,” and the dark trap sounds of “Walking in a Circle.” These are built with the help of Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij, iLoveMakonnen and more. Santigold’s vocal delivery is like a choreographed stumbling, set against a high-pitched self-sung background of shouts, melodies and harmonies. On 99¢ , Santigold lives out the contradiction of a pop star who is bold, original and creative.
Trial Track: “Chasing Shadows”
7/10
